New York Man Jailed in $11,000 Key Largo Job Application Scam

A Key Largo resident lost $11,137 over two years after responding to what appeared to be a legitimate job posting with Generac, a scam that finally unraveled last Sunday when Monroe County detectives, working alongside New York law enforcement, arrested 54-year-old Russell Martin Madajewski of Fayetteville, New York.

The scheme traces back to March 2024, when the victim applied online for a position with Generac. During what was presented as a hiring process, the victim was instructed to hand over personal information and told he needed to purchase expensive equipment before he could begin employment. According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the victim was then deceived into sending money to several different individuals, including Madajewski. By the time the scheme was discovered, the total loss had reached $11,137.

Detectives with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office worked alongside law enforcement officials in New York to trace the financial trail and identify those involved in the two-year operation. The multi-agency probe ultimately produced warrants for Madajewski's arrest. He was taken into custody and booked into jail on Sunday, March 15.

Madajewski faces charges of theft and the use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony. No other suspects have been publicly named, though the Sheriff's Office noted the victim had sent money to several different individuals as part of the scheme.

The case is a reminder of how job-application fraud can operate across state lines for years before investigators piece together the financial trail. Anyone in Monroe County who believes they have been targeted by a similar employment scam can contact the Monroe County Sheriff's Office directly.